How to train psychologically for endurance events

PT James King explains how to get your brain in shape to go the distance

By
Men's Health

21/10/2012

Elite mental training

Alongside their merciless assault on your body, endurance events also engender a profound psychological challenge. The best athletes can push themselves through torturous fatigue and remain physically and mentally tough over long distances and durations. “This isn’t down to chance,” says personal trainer James King, soon to take on a 40-mile jaunt across the Brecon Beacons carrying a 40lbs pack. “Endurance athletes train their minds to develop psychological coping skills which will lead to improved performance.” Read on to find out how you can too.

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Before the event

Forensic preparation

Training for endurance events is all about thorough research of every aspect of the challenge. Ideally, you should go out to the course a month before the race and investigate the climate, specific hills, tricky terrain, and any potential trouble spots for navigation. “It’s important, for example, to know you’ll encounter a gravel-strewn descent halfway through, just when you will be starting to fatigue, so you can be extra vigilant and avoid twisting your ankle,” says MH’s marathon veteran Ryan Bailey.

“Also, find out how to cope with blisters, about learning to run carrying equipment, about dealing with intense heat or cold, and about controlling your hydration and nutrition,” says King. Being forensically prepared for every eventuality should allow you to quash the anxiety which risks sabotaging your performance.Finally, ensure you talk to those who have completed the course in previous years to pick up valuable tips.

The five-breath technique

If anxiety does threaten to get the better of you, use this simple control technique before you start the race. It can be performed standing up, lying down or sitting upright. Inhale slowly, deeply and evenly through your nose, and exhale gently through your mouth, says King: “Take a deep breath. Allow your face and neck to relax as you breathe out. Take a second deep breath. Allow your shoulders and arms to relax as you breathe out. Take a third deep breath. Allow your chest, stomach and back to relax as you breathe out. Take a fourth deep breath. Allow your legs and feet to relax as you breathe out. Take a fifth deep breath. Allow your whole body to relax as you breathe out. Continue to breathe deeply for as long as you need to.”

During the event

Some would say that suffering is the very essence of endurance competition. That’s why we participate: to test our mental and physical limits and see what we are truly made of. It’s inevitable that at certain stages of any endurance event your body will be in pain. Fatigue will have set in and the voice in your head will be screaming at you to stop. “This inner voice can be very negative,” says King. “You begin to question what you are doing and may start talking yourself out of continuing.” It’s crucial to remember that tiredness tends to come in waves and these intense feelings are transient. Use the following strategies to train your mind to subjugate the impulse to give up.

Self-talk

Think back to training sessions when you felt tired. Recall your thoughts. Write them down. Now change any negative self-statements into positive self-statements. For example, consider the negative self-statement, “My legs are spent. I have to stop.” Both parts of this thought need to be adapted. Rather than saying, “My legs are spent”, change this to a transient statement such as, “My legs are tired.” Then incorporate something controllable such as running technique. The outcome is a positive self-statement: “My legs are feeling tired; I’ll concentrate on technique for more efficient running.”

Imagery

One effective strategy for developing emotional control is to use imagery. “Anticipate a difficult situation and picture yourself coping with it successfully,” says King. “Imagine how you will feel at the start of a difficult stage. Imagine how you talk yourself into feeling strong, minimising any feelings of fatigue or minor injury. Imagine yourself running the course; focus on each stride, and recognise how attainable each part is when broken down in to simple steps.” This will help develop effective coping strategies for successfully dealing with unpleasant emotions during a hard stretch of the course.

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Our pick of UK endurance events

Men’s Health Survival of the Fittest Competition

What? Racers from England, Scotland and Wales are invited to front up to these tough urban assault courses and battle it out to become Survivors. Packing a challenging 10k route in each host city, with tough and engaging obstacles every kilometre, you will pit your wits against thousands of fellow "Survival" competitors in a test of stamina, grit, speed and guts. The UK's toughest obstacle course? Maybe. The UK's most action-packed 10K? Maybe. The must-do events of this year? Definitely.

When? October 7 2012, October 13 2012, October 21 2012, November 3 2012 and November 17 2012 respectively

Limited spaces still available for Manchester and London, including a 5K night race in London.

Exmoor 30: 30 challenge

What? 30 miles with a 30lb pack is one hell of an undertaking, which makes the Exmoor 30: 30 a genuine right of passage. It encompasses a circular trek around the often fog-swaddled moors while shackled to a rucksack. Finish in one piece and you'll feel an unprecedented weight lift off your shoulders.

When? 13 September 2013

Where? Memorial Hall, Exford, Somerset

Jurassic Coast 3-Day Challenge

What? You don’t have to carry anything on this weekend trundle along Dorset's famous coastline. Which is great. But you do have to run a marathon along shingle, sand and vertiginous cliff paths. Three days in a row. Make it to the finish at Shell Bay and you’ll have covered 78.6 miles. Make sure you have a rest before checking out this Votwo event.

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